Staff Accountant/Internal Auditor

Open until filled-

Perform a variety of responsible, professional- and technical-level accounting duties involving preparation, reconciliation, auditing, and maintenance of financial reports and accounting records.  Provide technical assistance for the Controller.  Responsible for grant accounting, funding drawdowns, reporting, and assuring compliance with grant requirements.

Financial Aid, Grant, and Scholarship Accounting

• Serve as liaison to the Financial Aid Office, coordinating regulatory compliance, scholarship and financial aid disbursement timing, and recognition of financial aid repayments.  Provide scholarship activity reports for financial aid use.  Monitor and reconcile financial aid and scholarship accounts in the general ledger with the assistance of the Financial Aid Office.

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Financial Aid guidelines and requirements as they relate to the Business Office, proposing and implementing required changes.

• Oversee and coordinate the timely return of uncashed financial aid checks.

• Prepare requests for reimbursement of Gaston College Foundation-sponsored scholarships each semester.  Prepare journal entries for College-sponsored scholarships each semester.

• Maintain an up-to-date working knowledge of federal uniform guidance (2 CFR 200) and Yellow Book requirements as they relate to grants, proposing and implementing required changes.  Responsible for updating all College policies and procedures for federal compliance.

• Prepare requests and track receipt of reimbursement for federal, state, and private grants.

• Contribute to the planning, organizing, and coordinating of the centralized accounting and financial reporting for grants, including budgeting, forecasting, and estimating carry-over of funds.

• Serve as liaison to the Executive Director- Foundation, Grants, and Sponsored Programs for all grant reporting and audits; such as the annual single audit and sub-recipient desk reviews.

• Responsible for negotiating the renewal of the College's federal indirect cost rate with the Department of Health and Human Services.

General Accounting

• Monitor and review State workflow processes, resolving discrepancies and reconciling accounts.  Produce and submit accurate, timely reports to the System Office each month.  Respond to System Office inquiries. Complete year-end State close-out processes, submitting reports to the System Office.

• On a monthly basis, balance and settle state, county, and special funds inter-fund due to and from accounts.

• Assist auditors by gathering requested information and source documents as requested.

• Perform and review accounting functions such as journal entries, trial balances, reconciliation of accounts to the general ledger, payroll, and financial statement preparation.

• Analyze and reconcile accounts including claim on cash, grant drawdown activity, overpayment accounts, and A/R sub-ledgers.

• Assist the Controller and Vice President with the preparation of annual financial statements.

Internal Audit

• Manage and perform work related to the Annual Review of Internal Control with responsible departments each year as required by the Office of the State Controller EAGLE program.

• Prepare Compliance Risk Assessment, Financial Risk Assessment, IT General Controls report, and Performance reports, and other audit reports as required or requested.

• Interview staff to complete walkthroughs, creating, confirming, or updating process narratives.

• Plan tests based on narratives, prepare test lead sheets, select samples, and assess the effectiveness of internal controls described in narratives.

• Perform special internal audits to ensure adequate internal controls and compliance with guidelines and requirements.

• Assess and review findings based on audit samples with the Controller.

Construction Accounting

• Prepare the construction projects' monthly drawdown spreadsheets to request construction funds from the North Carolina Community College System Office and other funding agencies such as Gaston County, Lincoln County, Golden Leaf, EDA, and other grants.

• Manage capital asset accounting from purchase to reconciling data for the financial statement.

• Determine the appropriate treatment of each renovation project and construction project with regard to treatment as a current period expense or as a capital asset, assignment of an appropriate depreciable life using System Office guidance and professional judgment.

• Prepare data for year-end journal entries to record additions and disposals of assets and to adjust accumulated depreciation.

Other

• Continually search for, identify, and implement process improvements to improve stakeholder experience, reduce processing time, and improve quality.

• Maintain a high standard of professionalism in representing the College including confidentiality in all aspects of the position's responsibilities and adherence to policies, procedures, and other established guidelines.  Adhere to professional accountability and accept responsibility for managing situations and problems.  Work cooperatively with team members and colleagues, contributing positively and constructively to the achievement of team and College objectives and provide a high level of service to customers by establishing and maintaining effective working relationships and partnerships.

• Perform other related duties as assigned and work on other projects as they become available.

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university with major coursework in accounting required.

• Minimum of two years of increasingly responsible experience performing professional and technical accounting work required.

• Experience using spreadsheet software (i.e., Excel) and experience in the use of word processing software (i.e., MS Word) required.

• Experience with financial aid preferred.

• Experience with internal audits preferred.

• Experience in grant accounting, including federal compliance, preferred.

• Experience with Ellucian Colleague preferred.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Generally works in a traditional climate-controlled office environment and requires the ability to sit for extended periods.

• Some walking, standing, and bending required, and the ability to lift and maneuver items weighing up to 15 pounds.

• The work environment can be stressful at times in dealing with a wide variety of challenges and deadlines.

• In addition to regular office hours, the position sometimes requires overtime and/or evening hours.